


Ino's Balcony

by Andrea_Belle



Series: From the Shadows [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: A lot - Freeform, BAMF Yamanaka Ino, Bad Boys, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Ino-Shika-Cho Formation (Naruto), Love, Male-Female Friendship, Not Actually Unrequited Love, POV Nara Shikamaru, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Protectiveness, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, he hates Sasuke Uchiha about just as much, shikamaru cares about Ino
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:41:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28174110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andrea_Belle/pseuds/Andrea_Belle
Summary: Sasuke leaves the village the next morning and Shikamaru can't sleep.This is inspired by the part in the manga when news reaches Konoha, and Shikamaru goes to talk to Sakura about Sasuke, he mentions Ino and clarifies that if she is to die(along with Sakura and Naruto) they will want their revenge.
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji & Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru & Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru/Yamanaka Ino, Uchiha Sasuke/Yamanaka Ino
Series: From the Shadows [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2085750
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Ino's Balcony

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Naruto. 
> 
> Shikamaru to Sakura about Ino and Team 7 - Chapter 459:
> 
> "This may be a little indirect.. But bear with me. If Kumokagure kills Sasuke, You and Ino.. and Naruto won't stand for it.. And if you do something to get yourselves killed, Me and Choji and Inoichi and your parents will want revenge too."

Shikamaru had a light dinner and went up to his room. He hadn’t spoken much, but then Shikaku and Yoshino already knew what was plaguing him.

He didn't plan to sleep tonight, in case something happened early next morning. He knew Sasuke was leaving the village at the crack of dawn and suspected heavily that Ino might show up to stop him. Shikamaru couldn't let that happen-couldn't risk Ino getting so close to the traitor. He could hurt her, maybe even kill her. He didn’t know how fucked up the Uchiha really was but perhaps he was messed ep enough to kill a comrade. There was no way in hell that scumbag could be allowed anywhere near Ino.

She needed to be protected. More so because she kept insisting for years that she was in love with Sasuke. Shikamaru could never understand it. True, some girls liked the bad boys, but surely thoughts of self-preservation must feature somewhere. He couldn’t risk waiting and watching with Ino. She was too important and he would sooner die than have her hurt in any way when he could have prevented it.

Shikamaru looked out of his window to see Ino standing on the balcony in the house across the street. She caught his eye and gave a lazy wave. Her face was tear stained, but she was holding a cup of hot cocoa. Shikamaru had a talk with Inouchi that morning and asked him to make sure Ino didn’t do anything reckless. From what Shikamaru had observed, Ino had just spent the whole day in her room, presumably crying. That was ok, Shikamaru thought guiltily. A heartsick Ino could be made to smile again. It was no longer having Ino that frightened him. He noticed she wasn’t wearing her mission gear. Just a thin yellow frock with a blue bow. These were her favourite colours, he knew because she’d told him before he bought it for her. The dress fit her loosely and Shikamaru knew she wore it so often because it was soft and comfortable. 

For a panicked second Shikamaru wondered whether this was a shadow clone and the actual Ino was already at the Konoha gates, waiting to ambush Sasuke and beg him to stay. The fear grew in his head and he jumped out of his bedroom window and took to the shadows to climb up Ino's balcony. The Yamanaka wards knew his chakra signature and didn't reject him as he climbed the steel plumbing line. Lithe muscles charged with chakra carried him upwards seamlessly.

Ino was waiting for him with another cup of steaming cocoa by the time he reached. Her eyebrow was raised and she looked amused, but Shikamaru needed to test if she was real before he felt relief. He poked her arm gently with a kunai, careful not to hurt her, with just enough pressure to dispense a shadow clone. Nothing happened for a moment and Ino let out a soft laugh. 

Shikamaru's tense shoulders slumped as he pocketed the kunai.

"Relax Shika." she said shoving the warm cup in his hands. His heart beat slowed to a normal tempo now that he was sure she was with him. He'd stay with her tonight, just in case.

She'd plucked out a stool for them to sit on and gestured him over at the cool part of the balcony. A light breeze rustled past, lifting up her summer frock. Under the dull moonlight when she looked at Shikamaru, her sadness seemed to disappear.

"I'm not going to chase after Sasuke." she said looking at him. Her eyes were always so honest. The cerulean blue held his black ones for a moment, before flickering away to a spot behind them. She walked past him to sit down. Shikamaru followed her to the stools and sat down when she did.

"You won't go?" he asked curiously, unwilling to let the issue drop. 

Ino never lied to him and he could read her like a book. The look on her face told him enough- she was upset, not stupid.

"Shika..." she said, sitting close enough to him that he could smell the soft lavender scent of her shampoo. Her voice sounded tired. "Sasuke... he's not worth it. He never was."

Shikamaru nodded in surprise. Ino had certainly never expressed that sentiment before. She let out a scoff at his subdued reaction. 

"Come on Nara," she said poking his arm. "Tell me what's bothering you. You clearly weren’t expecting me to say that."

"Of course, I wasn't." he said finally, the hot chocolate burning his tongue. "It's always been Sasuke this, Sasuke that for two years!"

"Sorry you guys had to go through that." she said with a laugh that felt genuine. It calmed Shikamaru's heart to know she was doing okay. 

"I was just infatuated." she said softly. "I never loved him. I guess I always knew in my heart he could never love me, perhaps that is what made him all the more attractive. I think you always saw through him, I don't remember you ever liking him back when we were kids either. I should have just listened to you and saved myself all this trouble. I sure can pick 'em, right Shika? Maybe I am just not loveable."

"Ino..." said Shikamaru quietly. "You know that's not true."

Ino sighed. "Yes. I know. I have so many people who'd fight for me." she said looking at her hands before snapping her head up with the same fiery passion he missed. 

"There would be a war if Sasuke killed me.” She said.

Shikamaru nodded in agreement. “There would. I’d fight.”

“Hell I'd start a war myself if the son-of-a-bitch touched you or Chouji." she said her eyes clouding angrily at the thought.

Shikamaru felt his lips rise up into a grin as he pulled Ino close for a hug. "Thank goodness you use your head sometimes Ino." he said. "I was worried you'd rush off tonight."

Ino snorted. "Fat chance." she said her voice muffled as she rested her head on his chest. She broke into a short speech, finding courage against his calming heartbeat.

"That boy's hot, I admit. But if anything happens to me, what's going to happen to Mom and Dad? They'd want revenge if I died. You and Chouji, our whole clans would join the fight.

I'm sure you'd get him. I'm sure you'd kill him in almost no time. You'd betray the village to avenge my death, you would fight to the brink of exhaustion, you could all die. I know because I’d do the same. Our clans swore to protect one another Shika. I will not put us all in jeopardy for something personal. 

Sasuke...I worry about him. I want everything to be ok...but I can't be the one fixing him. I won't take the chance. I think that tells me clearly that what I've felt for him was never love. If it was, I'd be on my knees, offering him my neck for Konoha and his pardon."

She nuzzled against his black cotton shirt as he held her close and rubbed soothing circles on her back. He was so proud of her. On other days this would be troublesome, but tonight, he wanted to make sure she was safe. 

"He doesn't deserve you Ino." he said quietly. "Kakashi is patrolling the border tonight. He will be there in case Sakura tries something."

Ino nodded. "I tried to talk to Forehead about this. She wouldn't listen. She said I was doing this to keep Sasuke for myself, called me selfish and a bunch of other things. Sometimes I wish I never met Sasuke..."

A silence fell but it was not uncomfortable. She was nestled against him and she wasn’t upset anymore. What else did one need?

"Ino, what if I went rogue?" asked Shikamaru finishing his cup of cocoa. It was a selfish question, but he needed to hear her answer. "Would you chase after me?"

"Yes." said Ino at once, raising her head to look him straight in the eye. "Of course. I'd have a team ready. If no one agreed Chouji and I'd go alone. We'd find you and bring you back."

"But what if you're not strong enough? What if I became a jinchurriki?" asked Shikamaru his mind whirring like the cogs of a clock. She could sense it and took the question seriously.

"I'd make a plan. Maybe ask Dad and Shikaku. I'd get in your head. I'd bring you back." she said, a fire lacing her voice. There it was, the determination he loved so much about her. Thank goodness it was back. "I'm not very good at combat. I'd need a solid plan, but if I could just get into your head, Shika, I would bring you back."

"Thanks, Ino." he said not pointing out that she could have done the same for Sasuke but chose not to. 

"You're the best at strategizing Shika, it would totally help if you made one for this scenario and gave it to us before you betrayed the village." she said playing along. The sadness on her face was long gone now and Shikamaru could not imagine a time when she did not smile.

"Hmm, that's actually a good idea." said Shikamaru thoughtfully. "You could erase my memory after I make it."

"Hush." she said. "You will never become a missing nin. You are too honorable. But in case if one day, you do go rogue, I'm coming with you."

His heart fluttered at that. For a brief minute he allowed himself the luxurious thought of whisking her away with him so they could marry, of kissing those soft lips and telling her he loved her.

"Promise me Ino, that you won't put yourself in danger." he said instead. "Especially not over the Uchiha."

She looked at him with her mouth parted as though she wanted to say something, to lean upwards and touch his mouth with hers. But she didn’t.

"I promise." she said linking her fingers with his. She smiled again and Shikamaru found that as long as the happiness reached her eyes, that was enough.

They sat together and talked all night, marveling at the sky as it changed colour. At some point their parents saw them on the balcony, but no one disturbed them.

At the crack of dawn they saw Chouji hurrying up to the Yamanaka house. He stopped when he spotted the two on the balcony.

"You didn't go?" he said climbing up the plumbing. It strained under his weight, but held strong. The chakra signatures recognized him and let him up. "I was so worried that you would..."

"Chouji!" said Ino happily as she bounced up to hug him. "No, I didn't go."

"You don't look too sad." he said but broke into a smile. "Thank goodness."

He ripped open a potato chip pack and sat down beside them. "So, chips?"

Ino giggled and Shikamaru settled back to look at the clouds. 

It didn't matter what the Uchiha did.

As long as Ino-Shika-Cho was together, everything would be okay. He cracked an eye open to watch Ino smile and laugh with Chouji, happiness radiating off her like sunlight on a winter flower. Shikamaru would make sure of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Shikamaru and Ino <3  
> Do leave a comment if you liked this story! :D Thank you for reading, sending you lots of love and light <3


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